The former head of computer chip maker Intel says Arizona’s future rests on the success of elementary and high-school students and he’s urging businesses to take a more aggressive role in shaping the state’s education policy.

Craig Barrett told a forum in Phoenix this week it’s time for the community to tell politicians they’re not meeting the needs of school children.

Barrett leads a council established by Gov. Jan Brewer called Ready Arizona intended to help implement education reforms.

The Arizona Republic reports several business leaders at the Global Arizona 2012 forum said Arizona might do poorly when schoolchildren must meet new, tougher national testing standards beginning in 2015.